Sign.



PATENTED JUNE 13, 1905.

C. H. LOOMIS.

SIGN.

APPLICATION FILED MAB..18,1905.

Patented June 13, 1905.

PATENT QEEICE.

CHARLES H. LOOMIS, OF AKRON, OHIO.

SIGN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 792,058, dated June 13, 1905.

Application filed March 18, 1905. Serial No. 250,712.

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, CHARLES H. Looms, a citizen of the United States, residing at Akron, in the county of Summit and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Signs, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to illuminating electrical signs; and it has for its object the production of a sign in which each individual letter ordinarily constitutes a unit of the sign and in which the units are reversible as well as interchangeable with aview to changing the sign, if necessary.

The invention further aims to produce, primarily, a sign for outdoor use which is weatherproof as well as fireproof, in that any fire or heat generated in the sign itself due to the electrical current by which the sign is illuminated will not convey to adjoining inflammable buildings sufiicient heat to cause fire therein.

The invention mainly aims to provide a readily-detachable series of illuminated units to constitute a sign and a means for sustaining them in such a manner that the wires for conveying to the individual units the necessary current for their illumination will be protected at all times from exposure to the weather, and also inflammable material will be protected from contact with them, thereby avoiding the danger from short-circuiting and the resultant ignition of combustible material.

lVith the foregoing and other objects in view the invention consists in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts constituting the device to be hereinafter referred to, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification and in which is shown the preferred embodiment of the invention; but it is to be understood that changes, variations, and modifications can be resorted to which come within the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

In the drawings, in which similar referencenumerals indicate like parts in the different figures, Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a sign and its support embodying my invention, and Fig. 2 a section at line Xof Fig. 1. The invention consists in extending and suitably supporting from the front of a building on which is to be displayed the sign a series of short-length pipe, preferably in alinement with each other, and which are united either by Ts or crosses, and from these Ts or crosses extend nipples, to which the units of the sign are attached.

In the drawings, which show a preferred form of constructing a sign, 1 1 are socketplates attached to the side of a building, which is represented by the dotted line 2, and from these socket-plates 1 1 extend pipes 2 2. These pipes are interrupted by pipe-crosses 3 3, and their outer ends are ordinarily provided with elbows 4, connected by a pipe 5. The use of the elbows 4 and pipe 5 is not essential to this invention, but is preferred for the purpose of securing additional strength in the device and keeping the pipes 2 perfectly parallel with each other.

Into the vertical openings of the crosses 3 are screwed nipples 6, and on the ends of these nipples are screwed hollow boxes 7, made from a non-combustible material and lined, if necessary, with porcelain or asbestos. The lining, however, is not necessary to this invention. The two side faces of these boxes, which are translucent or transparent, bear suitable indicia, such as letters, numerals, Sac. Within each box is placed or provided a support 9, upon which is mounted asocket 10, arranged to support an incandescent lamp 7, and the socket 10 also contains necessary terminals for conveying an electric current to the lamp, which is supplied through wires 12 entering the box through a hollow boss 13 on the top thereof, which receives the nipple 6.

The wires for conveying the current to the device pass from the interior of the building, through the socket-plates l 1 and the pipe 2, and from there are distributed at each cross 3, by means of the nipples, to the units constituting the sign.

It is obvious that any number of crosses 3 may be placed in the pipes 2 and units, or the signs may extend above and below the line of pipe 2 and receive the current necessary for their illumination with equally good results as those already described.

In the device herein shown it is illustrated how the upper pipe 2 can support an upper tier of units, one of which bears the letter H, and a lower series, one of which bears the letter O, and thelower pipe 2 bears an upper series, one of which bears the letter T and the lower one is open to illustrate the internal construction of the unit.

It will be apparent that various combinations may be resorted to and any number of parallel pipe-lines 2, may be used, each of any desired length in order to support a sign bearing the preferred word or words. It will be further seen that in order to change this sign at anytime should it be necessary to replace or repair any individual unit of the same it may be removed by simply turning, by means of a wrench, the cross T a partial revolution and the unit itself be unscrewed from connection with the nipple 6, and after disconnecting the current-conveying wires the the device '7 may be taken out for repairs or for the purpose of changing the indicia-bearing plates which constitute its sides.

I claim- 1. An improvement in signs consisting of a pipe-line suitably supported and capable of containing in its interior electrical currentconveying Wires, a series of Ts or crosses in said pipe-line, a series of boxes of suitable material arranged to be connected with said Ts or crosses, each containing an illuminating medium, said boxes bearing suitable indicia on their exterior and capable of receiving an illuminating agent from the wires in said pipe-line.

2. A sign made up of a series of individual units of non-combustible material, each containing an illuminating means and having one of its sides provided with suitable indicia, a pipe-line arranged to be suitably supported and capable of containing current-conveying wires extending to the illuminating means in said units, and a series of Ts or crosses in said pipe-line arranged to receive means to connect them with said individual units and sustain said units detachably.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES H. LOOMIS. W'itnes'ses:

GLENARA Fox, 0. E. HUMPHREY. 

